MaKenzie Williams & Jonathan Taylor
December 6, 2024 | The Ballroom at I Street in Bentonville | Julia Stroud Photography
MaKenzie and Jonathan met through mutual friends at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Jonathan saw a picture of MaKenzie and asked his friends to set him up on a date with her. At the time, MaKenzie was living in Benton, and Jonathan was living in Fayetteville, so they got to know each other for two months before they officially met in person.
“We decided we wanted to build a life together,” MaKenzie said. “I was graduating with my bachelor’s degree that December, and after that, I started looking for a job in Northwest Arkansas to start our lives.”
Jonathan proposed four years after they met, and he filled the weekend with surprises for MaKenzie. He planned for her mother to come into town the day before so they could have a girls’ night together, and she planned to spend the next day with her friends at a cocktail class. Running late to the class, she met her friends there and walked inside. Little did she know, Jonathan had a full proposal setup waiting for her!
“It was the perfect cold and rainy day, and we were surrounded by candles and roses,” MaKenzie said. “After I said yes, he drove me to a restaurant where he planned a surprise engagement party with our friends and family.”
Wedding Vendors We Love
Planning and Design
Lucy Townsend Event Planning & Design
Venue
The Ballroom at I Street
Florist
Darling Blooms
Signage and Staffing
Accents by Ovation
Content Creator
Love That Social
More Vendors
Photographer: Julia Stroud Photography; Catering and bartending: The Sous Chef; Wedding dress: Tesori; Alterations: Tailored to You (Berna Perdue); Videography: Wildbloom Films; DJ: DJ Derrick; Dance floor: Dylan Williams; Rentals: Kindred Provisions and Alchemy Event Rentals; Lighting and draping: Lightworks Events; Cake: Rick’s Bakery; Desserts: Sweet Cravings Catering; Hair stylist: Morgen Rusher; HMUA: Boun Vang; Officiant: Ramon House; Cigar lounge: The Cigar District; Bridesmaid’s dresses: Show Me Your Mumu; Groomsmen’s suits: Beau’s Tuxedos; Second look dress: Retrofête Wendi Dress
Q&A
Q: What inspired your wedding day look?
A: “I love a touch of sexy which is why I added a slit to my gown,” MaKenzie said. “I remember when I first tried on the dress, everyone was shocked, but I had a vision and knew what I needed. For my reception … I opted for a silk gown with a low back and pearl beading.”
Q: What was your favorite moment of the day?
A: “My private vows with Jonathan,” MaKenzie said. “I’ve never felt more loved, seen and valued. He lives every word that he promised me and he has from the moment we met. I was so nervous about my vows and as soon as I saw him I was instantly calm.”
Q: Was there a detail you couldn’t live without?
A: “Jonathan and I knew we wanted to get married at the Ballroom at I Street before we we’re even engaged,” MaKenzie said. “It was the perfect venue for us and had everything we wanted and needed to have the perfect day. During our first tour of the Ballroom, it was still clear that we decided pre-engagement was still exactly what we wanted.”
Q: What inspired the casino-themed rehearsal dinner?
A: “The inspiration was my husband and his favorite things,” MaKenzie said. “…It was very important to me to have a night that reflects him. He planned the majority of the rehearsal celebration”
Cigars & Celebrations
“Jonathan absolutely loves cigars and is quite the collector,” MaKenzie said. “We celebrate special occasions with a cigar, so naturally, it needed to be part of the wedding. I surprised him during the reception [with a cigar bar], and seeing his shock and pure joy was one of my favorite moments from our day.”
Butter Together
“The last thing that we incorporated that was very unique was having monogrammed butter pats on the tables for dinner,” MaKenzie said. “I had two molds for the butter: one had our initials and the other had our last name, Taylor. It was such a small detail that I was obsessed with and I really felt like it elevated the dinner experience for our guests.”
Check out their casino-themed rehearsal dinner here.
